CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

It went without saying that Jane was not going to get an owl. The one thing she had been looking forward to after she had gotten back from Paris and she couldn't have it. Jane's parents were so mad at her. But when they grounded her for the rest of the summer, Jane couldn't help but feel relieved. No more Sarah to cling onto her. She didn't have to feel bad about telling Sarah that she couldn't hang out with her because, well, it was the truth.

But Jane had been grounded before, and they had always been able to sneak behind Jane's parents' backs. They'd always sneak out at night and talk or look at the stars or walk to the River Test. But Jane didn't do any of that stuff this time. And it didn't escape Sarah's attention.

Ms. Camden's wedding was on the last day of August, the day before Jane left for school. Jane and her parents were sort of obligated to go; they had known Ms. Camden for a long time. There was no way that Jane could avoid Sarah, and things didn't exactly end well.

Jane could tell that Sarah was mad at her. Normally, Sarah would have at least said hey to her. So after the small ceremony, they went to the reception. Jane figured that since she would be leaving the next day, she might as well talk to her. But by the time of the reception, Sarah had focused in on something else. When Jane finally reached Sarah, she was glaring at her mum and her new step-dad. Jane had forgotten how much Sarah hadn't liked John.

"God, can you believe it? I mean, just look at them. He's just not right for her, you know?" Sarah said to Jane as she continued to glare at her mum and John.

Jane looked over at the newly-wed Mr. and Mrs. Pence as they spun around on the dance floor. Jane had never seen Sarah's mum so happy as she was right then. She was smiling and laughing and the way she looked at John was just so beautiful. Her happiness seemed to light the whole room, but Sarah didn't see that.

"She looks really happy," Jane said to Sarah.

"So? That doesn't change the fact that he's entirely wrong for her. And I think it's completely selfish. She never even cared what I had to say about this whole marriage thing," Sarah said.

"Why would she? You're not the one getting married," Jane said bluntly.

Sarah looked astounded.

"No, but he's going to be moving in with us. I have to live with him now," Sarah said, as though it were the worst thing in the world.

Jane shrugged.

"Maybe you should at least give the guy half a chance—"

"I don't want to give him a chance!" Sarah exclaimed. "I don't like the guy. And why are you taking my mum's side on this? You're supposed to be my friend."

"I'm not taking sides. I just think you should try a little harder. I mean, do you even have a real reason to hate the poor guy?" Jane countered.

Sarah stood there with her mouth open a little bit.

"I just don't like him. I don't have to explain myself to you. And I don't have to like him," she said.

"Exactly. If you don't have to explain yourself to anyone, then your mum shouldn't have had to explain her marriage to you. You may not have to like John, but like you said, he's going to be living with you. It just might be easier if you at least tried," Jane said.

"Why are you acting like this?" Sarah asked.

"I'm not acting like anything," Jane defended. "It's just ironic that you'd called your mum selfish for marrying a man that makes her happy when it's really you that's being selfish. Not everything revolves around you, Sarah," Jane said harshly.

"I am not being selfish. How could you—How dare you? Why would you say something like that?"

"Because your mum has an opportunity that could make her really happy, and all you're thinking about is you. You don't know how lucky you are to have a mum like her. One that's always there for you. You don't know what I'd give for my mum to be happy like that!" Jane rounded.

"Don't you dare be angry with me! I'm the one that should be mad at you! You haven't spoken to me in two weeks!" Sarah said

"I'm grounded—"

"Oh, please. If you really wanted to hang out with me, you would have. If you really had missed me, you would—"

"Would have what, Sarah? Not gone to France with Lily? Just go ahead and say it," Jane said

"I'm not mad at you for going to Paris. I'm mad at you because you don't even try to be my friend anymore. All you think about are your new friends. Your dad told me why you were grounded. I can't believe you lied to me. You pretended like you couldn't come home because you just had so much to do, when really you'd just rather hang out with your real friends. It's like your replacing me, and that's not fair because I made new friends too, but I didn't do that to you!" Sarah said.

"I'm not replacing you!" Jane defended, but she knew it was a lie. "You've gotten so clingy, that I don't have to have other friends to not want to hang out with you!"

The words came out before Jane could stop them, and once they were out in the open, she couldn't take them back. And if she was being honest with herself, she didn't really want to.

"You're a bitch," Sarah spat.

For two years now, if anyone had ever spoken to Jane like that, James or Sirius would've made sure they regretted it. For two years now, hardly anyone had dared to mess with Jane. For two years now, Jane had been being taught how to stick up for herself. So, when Jane heard Sarah call her that, she was furious.

Before Sarah had time to think, Jane was on top of her. The girls rolled around on the ground, throwing punches, pulling hair, and clawing at each other.

Jane's dad and one of Sarah's older cousins pulled the girls away from each other. They were still kicking and screaming at each other. If there had been any hope of saving their friendship, it was all but diminished now.